The present invention relates to projectiles and launch-systems, more particularly, to non-lethal projectiles and launch-systems for riot control.
Control of crowds and of areas where demonstrators gather is often achieved by the use of non-lethal riot control agents such as tear gas, stun grenades, pepper spray, etc.
Most conventional means for delivering the non-lethal riot control agents to the controlled crowd or area is done by firing the riot control agents using concentrated gas, created from pyrotechnic explosion or compressed gas, through some type of tube, e.g. barrel or tube canister, which gives a direction to the flight of the riot control agents.
The non-lethal effects depend on the payload carried by non-lethal projectiles. The most common payloads cause the following effects: kinetic damage (caused by physical hitting of the projectile), irritation (caused by irritant agent, such as tear gas, pepper powder, irritant liquid, etc.), shock and distraction (caused by flash-bang charge), incapacitation (caused by discharging a high voltage electric charge), disorientation (caused by smoke), etc. Also, there are payloads that combine two or more effects.
The design of prior art non-lethal projectiles depends on the type of the launcher used for their launching. Various forms of non-lethal projectiles are known. For example, such projectiles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,727, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,699, and in many others. However, due to launchers' main shared concept of shoving projectiles through a tube, the generic design of projectiles is similar: they are designed to be shoved off from the tube by the power of concentrated gas. Therefore, the generic size and shape of prior art non-lethal projectiles is a bullet-like or shell-like size and shape.
The main drawback of prior art non-lethal projectiles is the fact that the pyrotechnic or pneumatic mechanisms of the launchers of the non-lethal projectiles constitute limitations for the different characteristics of counter-personnel non-lethal kinetic systems. Two significant limitations are: (1) the possibility of permanent damage, caused by direct hitting; and (2) the limited range of distances of the launchers, from the crowds that need to be controlled, over which the projectiles are both effective and safe.
There is therefore a need for non-lethal projectiles, and for launch-systems thereof, that will significantly reduce the possibility of direct hitting and, simultaneously, will be equally effective and safe at different distances.
Skeet shooting is a sport in which a shooter shoots at flying clay targets (saucer-like clay objects) that are commonly called “clay pigeons” and that are swung into the air by a manual thrower or by a launcher.
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematic illustration of a prior art manual thrower P1 and a clay target P2. The clay target P2 is inserted into the manual thrower P1 which is then swung in the required direction.
FIG. 2 is a side view schematic illustration of a prior art mechanical launcher P3. Mechanical launcher P3 includes a launching arm P4 on which clay target P2 is loaded prior to launching and a spring P5. When mechanical launcher P3 is operated to launch clay target P2, spring P5 releases the energy stored within it and causes launching arm P4 to sweep clay target P2 in the required direction.
FIG. 3a is a side view schematic illustration of a prior art automatic launcher P6 in its unloaded state. Automatic launcher P6 is equipped with a magazine P7 which holds a multitude of clay targets P2 and dispenses clay targets P2 individually onto a launching surface P8. Launcher body P9 includes electrical motors, springs and other mechanisms required for reloading and launching processes. When magazine P7 drops a clay target P2 onto launching surface P8, launching arm P4 is released by main body P9 to sweep clay target P2 in the required direction.
Exemplary patent documents that describe conventional clay target launchers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,360, U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,986 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0100345. These three documents are incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.